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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure, (revisited) (♦♦♦♦)

Once again, Peter Jackson has created magic
in a land he knows well: Middle-Earth. Under his wizardry wand, all sorts of
evil mythical creatures such as goblins, orcs, and trolls come to life. Evil
always lurks in the shadows in this realm, but goodness manages to keep it at
bay. Under Jackson's steady guidance, thirteen dwarf warriors of Erebor, the
wizard Gandalf the Grey, and a very cautious hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, embark
on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain, which was taken two generations ago
from the dwarves—their rightful owners—, along with its riches, by Smaug, the
dragon.

Middle-Earth is again a visual feast, both
heaven and hell. Despite running for close to three hours, the pace is fast as
pitfalls abound. The top notch special effects that made the Lord of the Rings
trilogy a smashing success also enhance this saga. A new technique that makes
more than 24 frames per second gives a “you are there feel” as never before
seen.

I can't praise the editing, for the movie is
long, though as I said, being the one to set the tone of the trilogy, doesn't
feel long at all. The musical score sets the mood for the scenes, and does so
superbly. Last, but not least, this saga benefit from gifted actors in career
defining performances. What more could we ask for?

Comments

Jackson's movies about Middle Earth are always visual treats and the special effects are amazing, but I didn't really care for his Hobbit series. The Hobbit is a small book about a small but remarkable person and his adventures. It is essentially a children's book and Jackson stretched it all out of recognition for his movies. I would have enjoyed it more, I think, if he had stayed truer to the book.

I read The Hobbit when I was a child, so I can't say I remember much about it, but I have seen a few adaptations and while it's true that he stretched the story way longer than necessary, he remained true to key elements of the plot.

I have tried to read The Hobbit several times and just could not get into it. I read The Lord of the Rings trilogy book by book just before each movie came out and I loved both. Someday, I will try The Hobbit again. How many movies did Peter Jackson make from the book?

Although I enjoyed the book when I was young, I have not attempted to see the films. Not sure if it's the length of the movies that has me avoiding it, or if the book was plenty for me. But from your reviews I should give it a chance.

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